Two Great Reasons to Celebrate! |
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It’s springtime! The weather is warming up, flowers are beginning to bloom and after two long years of living with COVID restrictions, we are excited to gather in-person again to celebrate accomplishments, reconnect and remind ourselves about why we do the work we do.
Mission First Housing Group is happy to announce two great projects are celebrating major milestones with events planned this spring: The re-opening of Park Place Apartments in Lancaster County, PA on May 6th and the grand opening of The Lewis in Prince George's County, MD in June 2022.
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Mission First has finished a 2-year preservation project at Park Place Apartments, a 32-apartment, affordable housing community located at 155 East Park Street in Elizabethtown, PA.
Park Place Apartments is part of a five-property portfolio in York and Lancaster Counties acquired by Mission First in May 2018, and one of the few affordable housing resources in Elizabethtown housing some of the most vulnerable residents in the community. The building is a former factory, which was converted to affordable housing in 1989 and had not been updated since.
Mission First replaced the façade of the building’s main three-story structure, updated all of the windows with new energy efficient windows throughout and replaced the roof membrane to ensure the full building envelope is water-tight. Mission First also upgraded the HVAC system, kitchens, bathrooms and floors in the apartments, where needed, and the community spaces. Click here for more information on the re-opening ceremony for Park Place Apartments.
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The Lewis, named for John Lewis, the late civil rights leader, is a brand-new senior community nestled in the center of the rapidly developing Town Square at Suitland Federal Center. Mission First and its partners The Henson Development Company and L.A. Bolden Company developed this six-story building as part of a vibrant pedestrian-oriented neighborhood created through the Towne Square at Suitland Federal Center redevelopment, an initiative of the Prince Georges County Redevelopment Authority that includes townhouses, retail and residential development.
The Lewis features sleek kitchens with brand-new, stainless-steel Energy Star appliances and granite countertops, with an open concept living space. New residents are already enjoying a rooftop terrace, yoga room, fitness center, party room and club room. The building is energy efficient which results in healthy homes with lower utility costs.
A grand opening and ribbon-cutting celebration for The Lewis is being planned for June 2022. Stay tuned for more information.
We look forward to seeing our friends and partners at these and other celebrations in the coming months.
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More Projects in Development |
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Mission First recently closed two new projects that will add nearly 200 units to our portfolio!
St. Anne’s Senior Apartments will be a four-story, 73,000 square foot community bringing 76 new, affordable senior apartments to Damascus, Maryland. Mission First is developing St. Anne’s in partnership with St. Anne’s Episcopal Church which is adjacent to the site. St. Anne’s will support aging-in-place and will include community areas and amenities such as a community and sitting room, fitness room, library/meeting room, bike storage and more. The project will be financed through a combination of 4% Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, tax exempt financing issued by the State of Maryland Community Development Administration, a HOME loan from Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Affairs, and Rental Housing Works funding from the State of Maryland.
We are excited to celebrate a Groundbreaking of St. Anne's Senior Apartments on April 29. Click here for more information on the event.
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Chester County Preservation Initiative (CCPI) is an innovative partnership with HDC MidAtlantic to acquire and preserve 97 units of housing across three buildings formerly owned by the Housing Authority of Chester County, PA. CCPI is a mixture of senior and family units, all of which will receive project-based subsidy. CPM will serve as the general contractor for the preservation project, which will include cosmetic upgrades, new systems, and kitchens and baths as needed. Mission First and HDC are 50/50 owners of the development, which is funded by PHFA, Cinnaire, Chase and Mission First’s Capital Magnet Fund Awards. HDC will manage the property and perform all related accounting and asset management work. We’re thrilled to be expanding our presence in Chester County, PA, and helping to assure the long-term affordability of critical housing resources.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter at @MissionFirstHG to keep up with project developments and see our work in progress.
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Supporting Young Adults in DC |
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Over the past few months, Mission First’s Resident Services department in Washington, DC has been taking steps to support, mentor, uplift and build community among young adult residents.
In February, the department held a Young Men’s Conference at Plaza West. The event included guest speakers, a raffle for gift cards, refreshments and a chance to connect with a mentor. Speakers included religious leaders from a church and a local mosque as well as two participants in the Credible Messenger initiative. Credible Messengers are neighborhood leaders, experienced youth advocates and individuals with relevant life experiences whose role is to help youth transform attitudes and behaviors around violence. The event was a success and participants were excited about this opportunity to connect in person and build community.
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In March, Resident Services geared up again and hosted EmpowHER Women’s Conference at Plaza West. The event aimed to embrace, elevate and encourage women through speakers including a poet and artist, a CEO/author and a youth ministry leader. The event also included food, refreshments, prizes and vendors. There were standing ovations, laughs, tears, sing-alongs, affirmations and much more!
According to Interim Director of Resident Services Frederick Hawkins, both events served “as a focal point where residents could go, be uplifted, speak about issues that are relevant to them and also be connected to resources including mentors.” The events also serve to bring residents and community together and create a positive space for people of all ages to interact.
These recent events draw on years of Resident Services programming for youth and young adults. Recently, the department worked with the Student-Athletes Organized to Understand Leadership (SOUL) Program to bring young adult development programs to young men who are residents in our DC developments. SOUL took residents fishing, played sports, and used the space to talk about issues like toxic masculinity, financial literacy and becoming an adult.
Moving forward, the department looks forward to forging more partnerships and building programming to uplift youth and young adult residents.
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View Our Property Portfolio
Mission First Housing Group provides safe, affordable, sustainable homes to over 5,500 people in more than 4,000 apartments throughout the Mid-Atlantic region--including families, veterans, seniors and individuals with disabilities.
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Mission First Housing Group | Website
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